- Kenya - Intervita

Intervita works in Kenya

Why we workIt is estimated that 47.2% of the population of the Manga District, in the south-west of the country, lives in conditions of extreme poverty. There are many different reasons for this situation, including poor education. Despite the fact that primary education is free of charge, there is much still to be done. With regard to health, in the province of Nyanza – to which the district of Manga belongs – malaria is endemic and diarrhoea is particularly widespread amongst children, due to poor hygiene. There is also a very high HIV/AIDS infection rate, due to the fact that the district lies in a border region, crossed by many groups at-risk.

Our aims

Water supply, Hygiene and the Right to Work objective

Health objective Primary education objective

How we workThe project is carried out in the district of Manga, and presents a high level of integration among different areas of intervention: education, health, hygiene and water supply. The main project beneficiaries are children below the age of 5 and those from 6 to 13 attending primary school, disabled children and orphans, as well as teachers, parents, mothers (especially pregnant women), the youth (particularly those who have abandoned school), and the most vulnerable groups of the population, such as orphan girls. Indirect beneficiaries of the project, due to the positive effects enjoyed by the whole area, include all the district inhabitants, namely more than 103,560 people.

Description of the project

PRIMARY EDUCATION OBJECTIVE
In education component, the project proposes the improvement of the infrastructures of 12 primary schools in the district, promoting active involvement and collaboration by the central government and local representatives, in order to guarantee the sustainability of the project results, also following its conclusion. The Kenyan government is attempting, albeit with great difficulty, to deal with the needs of disabled children. The project will provide the material necessary for pre-school training to schools welcoming disabled children, as well as school uniforms for orphaned and disabled children. During the project, courses will be organised for teachers of the pre-school age, on the Montessori method. The aim and objective is that with the time the Ministry of Education shall base their principles on this method, thereby multiplying the effect throughout the country.

HEALTH OBJECTIVE
The project also intends to improve the health of children and the population as a whole, in the district. It shall do so by guaranteeing annual medical check-ups in all supported schools, following which, where necessary, any children requiring treatment or more in-depth analyses, will be referred to the hospital or surrounding health centres. Sensitisation to the problem of malaria will be a particular focus, both by training the younger generations to organize campaigns on cleaning high mosquito concentration areas, and by handing out mosquito nets. The project will also aim to increase awareness of HIV/AIDS, providing training and continuous information to the most at-risk categories, in schools and dispensaries.

WATER SUPPLY, HYGIENE AND THE RIGHT TO WORK OBJECTIVE
To supply adequate water resources to the population is another key aspect to which the Intervita support project looks to provide an appropriate response. As such, a drilled well will be set up to serve a hospital and the market, sources of drinking water will be protected, and tanks and structures for rainwater collection will be provided to each of the schools supported. In the same way, the programme also sets out strong support to the construction of hygiene structures and the development of hygiene-health training courses. Finally, the support of professional start-up courses is also seen as particularly important, with the restructuring of two training centres and the supply of materials necessary to the relevant teaching activities.